Story summary
US forces are set to pull out from their last bases in Iraq by September 30, 2026, a departure celebrated as a victory by Iran and its allies who now have deep influence in the country where 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war. The withdrawal was agreed upon in 2024 under President Joe Biden and implemented by Donald Trump's administration despite ongoing conflict with Iran.
Some Iraqi security officials fear the pullout could revive Islamic State fighters, who maintain sleeper cells despite their self-proclaimed caliphate's defeat nearly a decade ago. Jasim al-Bahadli, an Iraqi security analyst specializing in armed Shi'ite groups aligned with Iran, predicts pro-Iranian militia groups will leverage this momentum to gain more influence over Iraq’s security and political decision-making.
Abu Mojtaba al-Yasiri, a commander in the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, described the US withdrawal as "a historic victory for Iraqi Islamic resistance groups and honourable Iraqis," marking what he sees as a crushing defeat for American ambitions in the region.
Written for “US Withdrawal From Iraq” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 33 other(s) covering the same event.
U.S. forces exit Iraq amid Iran war.
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forces → exit → war
And, SCOTUS revives Trump deportation policy
Good morning.
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You're reading the Up First newsletter.
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You → read → newsletter
Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
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you → subscribe → day
The last U.S. forces have left Iraq, more than two decades after the U.S.-led invasion that overthrew Saddam Hussein.
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that → leave → Hussein
Iraq has declared today "Sovereignty Day."
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The withdrawal comes as attacks linked to the U.S.-Iran war raise new questions about Iraq's ability to defend itself without U.S. air defenses.
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The Kurdish region of Iraq has been hit hard during the U.S. war with Iran, leaving its leaders concerned about their defenses, NPR's Jane Arraf tells Up First.
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This is not the first U.S. withdrawal from Iraq: Troops also left in 2011, before returning three years later to help fight ISIS.
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Iran-backed militias are celebrating the withdrawal.
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Arraf says many Iraqis enjoying the holiday today want what they have long wanted for their families: a normal, peaceful life.
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they → say → life
Listen to Morning Edition's conversation with retired Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, former U.S. National Security adviser, about how the final withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq impacts the Middle East.
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The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to resume, for now, deporting migrants to countries not listed in their removal orders.
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The court will hear full arguments in December.
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court → hear → December
The court didn't explain why it paused a lower-court ruling blocking the policy but it asked both sides whether lower courts had authority to intervene and whether the policy violates due process or protections against torture.
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policy → explain → torture
- 🎧 Third-country removals allow the government to send immigrants elsewhere when their home countries refuse to accept them, NPR's Linda Kenyon says.
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Immigration advocates warn the policy could cause irreparable damage.
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One immigrant challenging the policy says he fears being sent to a country where he would not receive treatment for his severe mental illness.
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- ➡️ Mahmoud Khalil, who became a prominent face of Columbia University's pro-Palestinian movement, is also fighting the Trump administration's effort to deport him.
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He told Fresh Air that 104 days in immigration detention strengthened his resolve to challenge the case.
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President Trump says that tech companies can largely self-regulate when it comes to artificial intelligence.
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After meeting with top AI executives Tuesday, he signed an executive order referring to the technology as "superintelligence" for government agencies and launched an AI-powered website, America.gov.
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Trump said the Justice Department or FBI could step in if companies break the law — but NPR's Emily Feng notes there are no new AI laws behind the meeting.
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Executives from six major AI companies signed a one-page document pledging to monitor their models and prevent harmful uses such as hacking.
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Asked whether the agreement was enforceable, Trump called it "morally binding" and said the companies would be "policing each other."
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In Lesotho, a small mountainous country surrounded by South Africa, young shepherds can spend months tending livestock in remote areas, often missing school.
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The Good Shepherd School offers flexible evening classes in reading, writing and counting.
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Check out these photos to see how these shepherds are balancing work and education.
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Since the 2020 police killing of George Floyd, programs that send unarmed responders to some 911 calls instead of police have quietly grown — from just six in 2020 to nearly 100 today.
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I wanted to understand what it takes to do that work well, so I spent a few days with the community response program in Durham, N.C.
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From the back of their minivan, I watched responders handle 911 calls about things like trespassing and panhandling.
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They doled out bottled water, snacks and fresh socks, and defused some tough situations: An agitated man refusing to leave a parking lot, a paranoid man asking to go to the hospital, a woman needing a safer place to live.
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But they often had few long-term solutions to offer.
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Researchers told me this tension is common.
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The goal after 2020 was to avoid more police killings, not solve problems like homelessness.
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Now, Durham and dozens of other cities are wrestling with this bigger question: Is success resolving the crisis?
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Or is it to offer a path to stability, so that eventually fewer 911 calls are made in the first place?
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And if you have a story or tip about policing and public safety in your city or elsewhere, you can reach me on the encrypted messaging app Signal at mma.05.
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3 things to know before you go
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NPR staff listened to nearly 1,500 podcasts and picked 20 finalists for this year's Student Podcast Challenge.
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…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
